Improvement in railroad-car seats



C. M. MANN,

Car Seat and Couch.

Patented Aug.' 31, 1858.

Inventor:

PATENT OFFICE.

U. M. MANN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

'IMPROVEME NT IN RAlLROAD-CARSEATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.2 [352, dated August 31, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHESTER M. MANN, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Mode of Constructing Seats and Berths in Railroad-(Jars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, which makes a part of this specification.

The drawing is a perspective view of asection, being the space usually occupied by four passengers, and shows the whole process by which four berths or beds may at once and while the cars are in motion be converted into four complete seats in the ordinary form, and also be reconverted into four good and complete berths or beds, and each furnished with pillow and blanket. They will also accommodate one or two persons with beds without any interruption to the two or three who may choose to sit up, and all this is accomplished in the space usually occupied by four passengers, and in a manner more economical, simple, and safe than has before been accomplished.

The seats marked A A in the drawing are now in the position they will occupy when used as beds. A, which is now seen as a seat, being put in the same position and connected with them, forms a bed. This is done by taki-ng out the arm 1; and folding forward the back of the seat, when it will turn quite readily, its farther end from right to left one-quarter round. The back is then turned quite over, the pin marked 0 falling into a hole in the ledge, on which theback will rest. The arm is now replaced, like the other, and the whole in this form furnishes a good bed for two persons by this union of the two seats.

Each seat has four legs. That marked f is permanent, having in it an iron pin on which At the head of the bed formed as above will be seen an open box, the door of which, it, should fall (more flatly than in the drawing or model) upon the bed, having upon it a good pillow attached, so that merely opening the door furnishes a pillow for two persons, and closing it puts it out of the way and out of sight. At the foot of the bed is another box, the door of which may be hung upon the upper edge. To the lower edge of this door is attached a blanket so arranged as to give it its full length and breadth, that it may cover the bed without being thrown off or disconnected from its place, and may be used or not, as required.

The upper bed, A a, is neatly and compactly fitted into the roof of the car, and when out of use is drawn up into its place by four counter-weights and cords from its corners, and no one would suspect anything but the roof to be there. Two of these cords are seen at e e. The weights are closely boxed in the columns B B B B. Upon the columns are stops of molding at the proper height. The bed is easily drawn down to the stops by the loop a, with pillow and blanket upon it, ready for use for two passengers.

at dare two gauze wire curtains, which may be used to separate the bed from those adjoining it.

- The columns B B B B may be dispensed with if it is thought best, and the weights made to pass down the sides of the car; but

in either case the weights should be covered with cloth or india-rubber and confined closely to their place for working. When columns are used each one, of course, has two weights,

and are separated by a partition--one for the bed shown and one for that before or behind it.

It is proper to mention that the cost of constructing and upholstering my seats and beds is very small, and no device can be converted from beds to seats or seats to beds with less trouble, while the comfort and capacity of them and the economy of room are not surpassed by any other.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters'Patent, is-- 1. The two carseats, constructed, as herein stated substantially, so that they may be turned from the ordinary form of seats one to the right and the other to. the left-one-fourth round, bringing the ends next the windows to meet together, and the backs (on hinges) may be turned over and fall upon the ledge upon which the ends before rested, and are held firmly in place as a bed by the pin 0.

2. The bed formed as above claimed, in combination with the door h-and pillow, which, being on hinges, opens into place upon the bed for use, or may be instantly shut out of the way and out of sight at pleasure.

3. The columns B, each containing and con' cealing two counter-weights, in combination with the upper and lower movable beds, as

herein described, and for thepurposes mentioned only. r i V 4. The general device, as herein set forth,

combining the upper and lower beds and seats 0. M. MANN.

Witnesses:

HORACE TURNER, G. H. HURD. 

